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The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network

An Interview with Malik Yakini

Everything Co-op

Malik Kenyatta Yakini, Director, Detroit Black Community Food Security Network is interviewed by Vernon Oakes, host of Everything Co-op. Vernon and Malik discuss initiatives of the Detroit Peoples Food Co-op, and the journey his organization has taken to establish a food cooperative, while raising funds to purchase the building for the co-op and serving as the developer for the building

Malik Kenyatta Yakini is an activist and educator who is committed to freedom and justice for African people in particular and humanity in general. Yakini is a co-founder and the Executive Director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, which operates a seven-acre farm in Detroit and spearheaded efforts to establish the Detroit Food Policy Council, which he chaired from December 2009 - May 2012. He served as a member of the Michigan Food Policy Council from 2008 - 2010. From 2011 - 2013 he served on the steering committee of Uprooting Racism Planting Justice. He is a co-founder and on the leadership team of the National Black Food and Justice Alliance.

Malik has an intense interest in contributing to the development of an international food sovereignty movement that embraces Blacks farmers in the Americas, the Caribbean and Africa. He views the "good food revolution" as part of the larger movement for freedom, justice and equality. To that end, he has sought opportunities to educate the public and currently serves as the C.E.O. of Black Star Educational Management.